The 136th Rose Parade presented by Honda begins at 8:00 am on Wednesday, January 1, 2025. The Rose Parade travels 5 ½ miles down Colorado Boulevard, and features four types of entries: floral-decorated floats entered by a participating corporation, non-profit organization or municipality, equestrian units, bands, and Tournament Entries.
For millions of people around the world, the Rose Parade is an iconic New Year’s Day tradition. The earliest Tournament of Roses welcomed 3,000 spectators to its first parade filled with beautiful, horse-drawn carriages covered in flowers. More than a century later, the parade floats are a marvel of state-of-the-art technology, all tucked away beneath flowers and other all-natural materials.
Experience – in person – the magic of New Year’s Day in an unrivaled celebration, exclusive to the streets of Pasadena! It's a celebration more than a century old – a festival of flowers, music, and sports unequaled anywhere else in the world. It's America's New Year Celebration, a greeting to the world on the first day of the year, and a salute to the community spirit and love of pageantry that have thrived in Pasadena for more than 100 years.
2025 ROSE PARADE THEME – “BEST DAY EVER!”
On January 18, newly installed President Ed Morales announced the 2025 Pasadena Tournament of Roses theme, “Best Day Ever!”
“The 2025 theme celebrates life’s best moments – those unexpected times that bring a smile, warm our hearts and fill us with joy. From a once-in-a-lifetime experience to the simplest pleasures, each is indelibly etched into our memory,” explained Morales. “Together, we celebrate where we’ve been and what we look forward to. It’s about family, friends, and community and what we have to celebrate – and to be thankful for. On New Year’s Day and throughout the year, let’s celebrate the times that make up our Best Day Ever!”
2025 GRAND MARSHAL – BILLIE JEAN KING
On October 7, The Pasadena Tournament of Roses proudly announced Billie Jean King, sports icon and champion for equality as the Grand Marshal of the 2025 Rose Parade presented by Honda. Tournament of Roses President Ed Morales announced on the front steps of the iconic Tournament House as King made a grand entrance to Elton John’s hit song “Philadelphia Freedom”—a song famously written in her honor. King’s selection as Grand Marshal ties seamlessly into this year’s parade theme: “Best Day Ever!”, celebrating life’s best moments.
Old Pasadena: The Rose Parade travels along Colorado Blvd. straight through the heart of Old Pasadena, making it a perfect viewing location. Many Old Pasadena businesses maintain extended hours to serve the crowds before, during, and after the parade. Our Clean Team gets things cleaned up immediately after the parade passes through so our businesses can continue to serve our visitors on New Year's Day. Many of our restaurants will be open and some of the stores, as well, so stick around after the parade and before the Rose Bowl game to enjoy our historic district.
Ticketed Seating: Reserved grandstand seating for the Rose Parade is available for purchase through Sharp Seating Company, the Official Grandstand Seating Provider, from February 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Contact Sharp Seating Company at (626) 795-4171.
Non-Ticketed Seating: Curbside viewing is also available on a first-come, first-served basis. Pasadena city ordinance allows the occupancy of curbside space along the parade route beginning at noon on the day before the parade (Sunday, December 31, 2023).
Parking: Convenient parking in Old Pasadena is available by visiting Parking Concepts to pre-purchase at:
- De Lacey Park & Walk Garage
- Schoolhouse Park & Walk Garage
- Marriott Park & Walk Garage
Parade Route: The 5 1/2-mile Rose Parade route begins at the corner of Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, California. The parade travels north on Orange Grove at a leisurely 2 1/2-mile-per-hour pace and then turns east onto Colorado Boulevard, where the majority of the parade viewing takes place. Near the end of the route, the parade turns north onto Sierra Madre Boulevard and concludes at Villa Street.
Transportation: The Metro will operate throughout the night of December 31 and morning of January 1. In addition to overnight service on those selected lines, Metro will run more trains and offer more frequent service on the Metro Gold Line to accommodate the large numbers of anticipated riders on January 1. Exit the A Line (Blue) at the Memorial Park or Del Mar stations, both just a short walk from the parade route. Call the Metro information line at (323) 466-3876 or visit www.metro.net for help planning your trip.
Visitor Hotline and Guide: If you have specific questions about your visit, you can speak to a live person in the days leading up to the event by calling Visitor Hotline courtesy of Visit Pasadena. The toll-free Visitor Hotline number is (877) 793-9911 (outside of the US, +1 626-795-9311). You can also visit the Tournament of Roses Guide offering information about all of the related events including the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl.
The Rose Parade is broadcast live in the U.S. by several networks. Check our list of broadcasters or your local listings for more information. For seating and ticket information, please see the Tickets and Events page.
For safety tips and parade-day guidelines, take a look at the Parade Day Guide.
